Methods and problems

A year has passed since the Fifth International Congress of Slavists in Sofia concluded its work. The contribution of the congress was undeniable, and the fruitful impetus it gave has long been carried over to the dozens of centers of contemporary Slavic studies. However, a scientific congress is of interest not only for its scientific contributions in themselves. Of no less interest is the methodology of scientific research that it demonstrates. In the swarm of topics and problems of the Fifth Congress of Slavists, almost all the more significant methodological directions stood out, the main philosophical schools were refracted, and from there - the main class-party positions in science today. A study of the methodology of scientific research, as it was presented at the congress, would provide material for very interesting conclusions. The scope of the present notes is, for understandable reasons, much more limited: they concern only two reports. However, the philosophical and methodological positions from which their authors proceed are widespread in Western literary studies. And this makes these two studies typical and in a sense representative of the state and directions of Western Slavic studies today.